Trolley-wire holder.



PATENTED APR. 0, 1907.

0 v. J. LA BAUVB.

TROLLBY WIRE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9. 1906.

I'll

VALCOURE J. LA BAUVE, OF HOUSTON, TEXAS.

TROLLEY-WIRE HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

; 31311206; Apr; 9, 1907'.

Application filed May 9, 1906. Serial No. 315,991.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,VALCOURE J LA BAUVE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Houston, in the county of Harris and State of Texas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Trolley-Tire Holders, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trolley-wire holders, the object of the invention being to provide means for preventing a trolley-wheel from jumping from the overhead wire or conductor, the same being arranged in such relation to the trolley arm, wheel, and operating-rope that in the act of drawing down the trolley-arm out of contact with the overhead conductor the said holding device will be automatically moved out of holding position, so as to release the overhead wire or conductor and allow the trolley-wheel to be moved away from the same.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,

hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a trolley arm and wheel, showing also an overhead wire or conductor and the holder of this invention in its rela tion to the trolley wheel and wire. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the manner in which the jaws of the holder move apart to release the overhead wire or conductor. Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the same, showing the holding-jaws in their closed positions.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates an overhead wire or conductor; 2, an ordinary trolley-arm rovided with the usual head 3, having a forir 4, which carries the shaft 5, on which the trolley-wheel 6 is journaled, said shaft passing through the arms or blades of the fork 4 and also through the trolley-wheel, the trolley wheel being provided with a grooved or dished periphery to receive and contain the overhead wire or conductor, the parts thus far described being of the usual construction and arrangement.

In carrying out the present invention I provide what I term a holder or device for retaining the trolley in engagement with the overhead wire or conductor.

Under the preferred embodiment of this invention the holder comprises a pair of oppositely-arranged spring-arms 7, which are formed with openings 8 to receive the proj ecting ends of the shaft 5 and extended upward beyond said shaft to form oppositelyarranged jaws 9, which extend slightly above the top of the trolley-wheel, as shown in the drawings, and are provided with inturned lips or retainers 10, which extend part way across the periphery of the trolley-wheel and have their opposite edges reversely beveled or inclined, as shown at 11, the object being to allow the trolley-wire supporter to act on such reversely-inclined edges as the trolleywheel comes in contact with the trolley-wire supporter to force the jaws 9 apart and permit the trolley-wire holder to automatically spread apart and pass the trolley-wire supporter, then to readjust itself by force of spring 16 to its original position over and around the trolley-wire.

Under the preferred embodiment of this invention the projecting end portions of the shaft 5 are squared, as shown at 12, while the openings 8 are correspondingly squared to prevent the jaws of the holder from turning, the jaws thus being held in proper relative position to the trolley-arm to extend upward and insure the lips or retainers 10 passing over above the wire or conductor, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The construction described also permits the spring-jaws to move outward along the squared end portions 12 of the shaft, the outward movement of said jaws being limited by suitable stops, which may consist of a beveled bolt-head 13 at one end of the shaft, and a beveled washer or collar 14 on the opposite end of the shaft, the latter being shown as held in place by a nut 15, screwed upon that end of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 3.

The lower ends of the spring-arms 7 are connected by a spring portion 16, which under the preferred embodiment of the invention is formed integrally with the arms 7. In fact, the spring portion 16, the arms 7, and the jaws 9 are all preferably formed of a single strip of spring steel or other metal, the spring 16 assisting the arms 7 to hold the jaws 9 inward with the retaining-lips 10 projecting over the trolley-wire and across the periphery of the trolley-wheel in the mamier shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The arms 7 at their lower ends are provided with eyes 17, through which passes the looped upper end 18 of the trolley-rope 19. By the arrangement just described when a downward pull is applied to the trolley-rope the loop 18 thereof acts to move the eyes 17 toward each other, correspondingly moving ICC the lower ends of the arms 7 toward each other and rocking the jaws Q'a'nd retainerlips 10 apart. This allows the trolley-wheel to be moved away from the wire.

To place the trolley-wheel on the wire, the downward pull on the trolley-rope acts upon spring 16 and forces said lips apart, and after the wire has passed between and beneath said lips the trolley-rope is released and the said lips spring together again and prevent the trolley-wheel from jumping-the'wire.

I claim The combination, with a' trolley arm and wheel, of a holder comprising oppositely-ar- I ranged arms having portions projecting partially across the periphery of the wheel, a

spring disposed intermediate said arms and formed integral therewith, a trolley-ropefor moving said arms inward to release the trol ley-wire, and a stationary shaft for the trol ley-wheel having squared end portions passing through correspondingly-shaped openings in the holder whereby the holder is prevented from turning while the arms are permitted to move toward and away from each other, substantially as described.

Intesti-mony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VALCOURE J. LA BAUVE. Witnesses:

HORTENsE MALooH, T. C. FIGGATT. 

